1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electric truck with a chassis, on which a driver's cab with a motor compartment containing an electric motor is disposed in the front region of the electric truck, and in the rear region a cargo body rests on the chassis of the electric truck, wherein the substructure of the cargo body is seated on the vehicle longitudinal beams of the chassis and wherein the body bottom of the cargo body sealing the cargo body on the underside is disposed with spacing above the vehicle longitudinal beams to ensure clearance for a sufficient spring travel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such electric trucks are known in particular for the inner-city delivery and distribution traffic. For example, such electric trucks are used for mail and parcel delivery. The need for such all-electric-powered small trucks in the range between 3.5 and 7.5 metric tons will grow considerably in the coming years, because many inner cities are exposed, not only due to the fine-dust pollution, nitrogen oxides pollution, especially due to diesel vehicles, but also due to the resulting noise pollution, to considerable impairments and health hazards, and so now even temporary bans on travel are being considered. Compared with the conventional truck traffic with use of combustion engines, electric trucks offer the advantage that the said pollutions are completely nonexistent or at least are banished from the inner-city region. In a first expansion stage, trucks in use at present are either being retrofitted completely with electric-motor drives or else are being equipped as hybrid vehicles with additional electric motors. The results achieved heretofore in this connection are unsatisfactory, because the vehicles are usually too heavy for a permanent electrical operation, the battery capacities available in this connection are too small and, in other respects, especially in the food sector, a considerable additional energy demand for maintenance of the refrigeration exists, but can be met only with difficulty by electric vehicles.
Such a truck usually consists of a chassis, on which the driver's cab as well as a body structure for formation of a cargo space are disposed. In detail, the chassis delivered by the manufacturer comprises the driver's cab, the longitudinal beams for support for the cargo body, although it is not part of the chassis, as well as the axles. All further attachments and expansions are then made individually. In this connection, the cargo body is usually not disposed to rest directly on the chassis, but rather is disposed with a distinct spacing above the chassis, in order to provide sufficient spring travel for the wheels of the truck. In the region between the body bottom sealing the cargo body on the underside and the vehicle chassis, a comparatively large-volume and unused space is therefore usually present. Furthermore, the described vehicle substructure is also relevant to weight.
In retrofitted vehicles, the batteries necessary for operation of electric trucks are usually disposed in the region in which the fuel tank for the operation of the combustion engine was otherwise mounted. In view of the limited space requirement available in this connection, the battery position selected in this respect is unfavorable. Moreover, the batteries used for powering electric trucks must be equipped with additional safety features, such as crash protection, for example, which in turn requires additional structural measures and in other respects leads to an increased vehicle weight, which in turn must be paid for with an increased energy demand.